Are Coventry shaping up to make a move for Everton youngsters?

Coventry City boss Tony Mowbray watched on from the stands as Everton Under-21s coasted to a 3-0 victory over Rhyl on Wednesday evening.

Goals from Antonee Robinson, Antony Evans and Conor Grant made it six wins out of six for David Unsworth’s men, continuing their impressive pre-season form.

The former Middlesbrough manager was watching a handful of players as he looks to bolster his midfield and frontline ahead of the new campaign.

It is likely that any deal done would be on a short-term loan basis, and it’s believed that Mowbray was interested in seeing four players in particular – Ryan Ledson, Conor Grant, Kieran Dowell and Joe Williams.

All four players featured for the senior squad in the 1-0 loss to FK Krasnodar back in December, and were regulars for Unsworth throughout the 2014/15 campaign.

Ledson, in particular, is someone who could benefit greatly from a loan move. He has shown a great deal of potential in the middle of the park, and is one of the most vocal players in the team. Ledson also displays a great deal of confidence on the ball and has great passing range, but now needs regular playing time at the senior level if he is going to take the next step in his development.

Similarly, Grant is another loan candidate. He’s a little older than Ledson at 20, but isn’t yet first team material. A spell at a lower league team could do him the world of good – think Seamus Coleman and Luke Garbutt. He did spend the second half of last season on loan at Motherwell where he impressed in spells, but needs another loan move to help him realise his potential.

Dowell, who signed his first professional contract with Everton in March, is a versatile midfielder and could gain some invaluable experience at a lower league club. Keeping him in the under-21s for another year wouldn’t stunt his progress, but if Coventry come calling then it may be an opportunity for the Blues to see how well he performs at a higher level.

Then there’s Williams. Perhaps most remembered for this crunching challenge on Pedro Chirivella, he is still a little rough around the edges. But the tough-tackling midfielder could find that he performs better lower down the pyramid, and Mowbray may look to him as an option.